Vancouver-based Courtney Chew says the inspiration for her eco-swimwear brand OCIN came from her days as a competitive swimmer who spent most of her time in the ocean, 'a place where I feel the most connected to the earth.'Patrick Menard
Courtney Chew wants to change the way consumers think about swimwear.
“We want to show that a commodity like swimwear can become an investment piece that can last for you, as opposed to [wearing it] for one vacation and throwing it away,” she says.
Ms. Chew is the founder of OCIN, a Vancouver-based ecoswimwear label for men and women. The company’s swimsuits are composed of “infinitely regenerable” nylon yarn (made from waste products such as fishing nets, carpets and industrial plastic) and recycled polyesters made from plastic bottles saved from landfill. OCIN also offers a recycling program where customers can return old swimsuits, OCIN or not, which are sent to a mattress recycling facility and regenerated into a concrete alternative used for construction.
Ms. Chew says the inspiration for OCIN came from her days as a competitive swimmer who spent most of her time in the ocean, “a place where I feel the most connected to the earth.” (OCIN donates a portion of their proceeds to non-profit ocean conservation partners including Surfrider Foundation Canada and Sustainable Coastlines Hawaii.)
She says that when she started her business in 2018, sustainability was not a big part of the conversation in the fashion industry.
“It was really difficult as a small business back then to try to find vendors and other collaborators that fit within that ecofriendly mindset,” she says.
Times have changed. Sustainability-minded businesses are a vital part of the Canadian small-and-medium-sized business landscape, and women like Ms. Chew are leading the way.
A wrap top and high-waisted bottom by eco-swimwear brand OCIN.OCIN
For the good of the business – and the planet
Jennifer Roedding, executive in residence in Sustainability Integration at the University of Waterloo, says that although some entrepreneurs may protest that it’s too expensive to prioritize sustainability in a small business, it can be more profitable in the long term.
“From my perspective, it’s like any other investment, right?” she says. “If you don’t implement sustainability in business, there’s a chance that you won’t keep up with the times.”
While inflation may be squeezing the wallets of Canadian consumers, many are still willing to purchase goods that align with their environmental values. In Boston Consulting Group’s 2023 Canadian Consumer Survey, 31 per cent of respondents said they had reduced or stopped consuming some products or services due to their perceived climate impact. More than half (54 per cent) said climate impact was at least somewhat important to them when making a purchasing decision, and among high-income Gen Z respondents, this figure rose to 83 per cent.
Meanwhile, research in the Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub’s report, The State of Women’s Entrepreneurship in Canada 2023, shows that women entrepreneurs are more likely than men to start businesses that focus on environmental and sustainability efforts, in alignment with Canada’s progress toward the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals.
Ms. Roedding notes that organizations that embed sustainability into their business practices have a forward-thinking mindset that prioritizes younger generations.
“You can either sustain [the planet] and not do harm, or you can compromise the future of your kids and the planet,” she says. “We want to have a planet and you want to have a business in the future.”
Lilian Umurungi-Jung, founder and owner of Mumgry, says that when it comes to making her business decisions, what’s best for her children and future generations is paramount.
“I feel like it’s so important for a brand to realize that they’re doing a greater service by prioritizing sustainability and that their impact can be everlasting,” says the Vancouver-based entrepreneur.
Mumgry is natural nut butter in four flavours that is low in sugar and high in protein, iron and calcium. Ms. Umurungi-Jung launched Mumgry in 2019 when she was pregnant and looking for a snack option that was good for her body. She had huge cravings for peanut butter, but many of the ones available had excess salt and sugar. So, she developed a product that met her needs using responsibly-sourced ingredients.
“Our label is the cleanest among all natural nut butters, containing only one to three complete ingredients,” she says. “All of our competitors use palm oil, which contains 49 per cent saturated fat and increases the risk of heart disease and other chronic health disorders. Palm oil is also a major cause of deforestation in some of the world’s most biodiverse forests.”
Five years after Ms. Umurungi-Jung made her first forays into local independent shops, 600 stores stock Mumgry products, and in the past year the company has begun branching out into larger chain locations across North America.
Lilian Umurungi-Jung, founder of Mumgry, started her line of nut butters to meet the nutritional needs of moms.Felicia Chang
Ms. Umurungi-Jung notes that most customers have no idea who owns or manufactures other nut butters on the market that claim to be “all-natural.” That’s why it’s important to forge a relationship with their customers, or as she calls them, “friends” of the company.
“Friends of MUMGRY are proud to support a diverse, family-owned, independent company,” she says. “I believe our consumers are fully aware of their purchasing power and the distinction between quality and processed foods.”
‘It’s everyone’s problem’
Oluwaseyi Adaghe launched her company, RÓUN Beauty, after her personal experiences with having to braid her hair using synthetic hair extensions – causing itchiness and a sensitive scalp.
“For far too long, I’ve normalized the discomfort. I’ve never really thought that it could be another option,” she says.
One day she came across a video of someone making hair braids from plants, which introduced her to the idea of using banana stem fibres in her products. Now, RÓUN Beauty specializes in upcycling plant fibres from agricultural waste into bio-based, nontoxic braiding hair extensions and beauty products. The company is currently in product development with the goal of launching by the end of summer 2024.
Mumgry chocolate hazelnut butter.Mumgry
Ms. Adaghe says she hopes that people recognize synthetic hair waste has a collective impact on global warming and climate change because these materials get discarded into landfills. (Her company also offers a free synthetic hair recycling program.)
“Being able to one day know that Black women no longer have to compromise their health and their comfort is what is most rewarding for us,” she says. “But this is not just a Black woman’s problem. It’s about our planet. It’s everyone’s problem.”
Ms. Roedding says that what is most exciting about the sustainability space is that competitors are now collaborating and supporting each other. Collaboration is a priority for Ms. Chew and OCIN – there is a curated marketplace on the company website that promotes companies and products that share their values, with a focus on businesses led by women and people of colour. “[They] are still some of the lowest-funded businesses in the private sector,” Ms. Chew says.
It’s challenging to compete with larger companies that offer fewer sustainable goods for lower prices, especially in the fashion industry, says Ms. Chew. While some companies “greenwash” their commitment to sustainable practices, fast fashion companies like Temu and Shein sell billions of dollars of clothing a year that end up going to waste.
“In order for this industry, and others, to really change, there has to be a massive shift in our values,” she says. “For me, brands have to build the betterment of our planet right into the foundation of the company; otherwise, it just becomes another ‘check box’ that is ticked off.”
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Stacie Campbell/The Globe and Mail